Home / Series / Chronicle (1966) / Aired Order / Season 1989 / Episode 3

The Vase

Cleopatra had one. The Emperor Augustus had this one - probably the finest example of Roman glass in the world. It was made in c.30 BC - 30 years after the invention of glass blowing. During its long life 'the vase' has inspired Rubens, Blake and Darwin; Wedgwood founded an entire industry on it. Then it was smashed by a drunk in 1845. It was immediately restored by the British Museum, who are restoring it again in a nine month project to reduce the vase to its original 230 broken fragments, add the odd pieces discovered in a drawer, and make it safe for the next 200 years. Value on completion? Actually priceless, but 30 million pounds might do.

English
  • Originally Aired June 14, 1989
  • Runtime 50 minutes
  • Network BBC Two
  • Created November 25, 2013 by
    Administrator admin
  • Modified February 18, 2022 by
    frizzlebiscuit